The Brother I Don't Know
by ArcwindKE
Summary: The same last name and the same room they shared, Mineral Town was where this long-lost, long-forgotten brothers met again... Rated T to be safe. Cliff's brother is my OC (Just appears)
1. Chapter 1 : The Sign

**Hiya! This is my official first Harvest Moon fanfic in English.**

**Cliff's brother? Will be revealed later.**

**Disclaimer : Harvest Moon doesn't belong to me.**

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**Cliff's POV**

We sat in the confessional booth, praying as always. It was very quiet and peaceful... but I could still feel that hole in my heart...

That argument, those harsh words I said, they are still echoing loudly and clearly in my heart...

Years had passed, but my trauma was still fresh and new, as if it happened yesterday...

...

_"Stop saying her name!"_

_"No matter what you say, I will never ever marry that daughter of your friend!"_

_"I will work and earn money to pay the debt myself, okay? Don't talk about that girl or that marriage again, ever!"_

...

"Harvest Goddess showed me a sign. Something long-lost is coming to Mineral Town, and into your life soon..." Carter's broke the silence, almost giving me a heart attack.

"Is it my sister!?"

"I don't know. All I know is it's something very good."

I was so thrilled that I could dance! It must be Christine, my twin sister! Finally we reunite again!

It was so hard for me to pray and keep silent. All I could pray was her safe arrival to Mineral Town. I thanked Harvest Goddess and headed back to the inn.

"Carter told you someone long-lost is coming into your life?" Doug asked as he served our dinner. I nod.

"Wow! Is that person your long-lost sister!? Is she coming here soon!?" Ann was as enthusiastic as I was. I wanted to shout, "Yes!", but I can't.

Some questions crossed my mind, and it blew all my thrill and joy away, leaving me just guilt and sorrow… those bad days just came back to me…

"...Is that person really Christine?..."

"...What if it's not her? …"

"…Who do you think you are to earn her forgiveness?..."

"I…I don't know." After a long silence, I answered.

"Don't worry about that. I believe that person is going to be your friend forever!"

Ann tried to cheer me up... I thanked for her kind words, but I doubted if it was going to be true...

...Friend? I'd totally forgotten about having one for years...

Even one who really saw me... I'd wondered since that time if that one really existed...


	2. Chapter 2 : About the farmer's grandson

**Chapter 2 now! Does the grandson of the old farmer have anything to do with that 'something long-lost', or is her just Ann's old friend who has nothing to do with this?**

**Disclaimer : Harvest Moon doesn't belong to me.  
**

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"How is Frederick? Is he going to make it through this year?" Doug asked with serious, concerned voice.

"I'm afraid he's not going to survive through this winter, or even this fall."

"Should we contact his son now? That farm needs an owner."

"I've contact his son, but he said he was too sick to run the farm."

"I remembered Ann talking about his grandson. Contact his grandson. You can use my phone for free this time."

**Cliff's POV**

I listened to the serious conversation between Doug and Mayor Thomas. I know Frederick, the old farmer they mentioned. I remembered watching him working in the spring, when he was still healthy enough to run the farm.

Frederick's grandson? I totally had no clue about him. I wonder if his grandson was someone I used to know...

_"Something long-lost is coming to Mineral Town, and into your life soon..."_

What Cartor said still rang in my head. I couldn't forget it. I really wanted to figure out if that 'something long-lost' was actually Christine, or was that my f...father...?

_"Your father is a great and kind man. I'm so sorry for you that you didn't have the chance to remember him well. He died last year... You were still very young..."_

I remembered someone telling me about my father when I was young, when I barely had any memory. Those words echoed in my mind whenever I think of my father, but I couldn't remember who said that. I could remember that he was male, of course not Christine or my mother.

I sighed. I hated to agree and accept that guy's words that my father died when I was very young. When I was with my mother, she was like a father and mother to me, so I never felt I lacked anything or wondered about my father.

Now everyone... my mother, Christine... they were gone and I was all alone... Those words about my deceased father echoed quietly in my mind.

...I was the one who destroyed everyone I loved and loved me back, wasn't I?...

"Hey, Cliff! Come and have breakfast before it gets cold! I made a curry bun for you!"

I almost forgot I ordered that curry last night. I had to grab it before Gray had it.

"Do you have any idea about Frederick's grandson?" I asked Ann immediately after I finished my curry bun.

"I knew him. He is my childhood friend. We used to be inseparable." Ann smiled as she reminisced. I couldn't help but smiling when I looked at her smile.

...Exactly the same smile I used to know well... the smile I ruined... Christine...

"But I can't remember much about him, not even his name. We lost contact since summer ended. I hope he'll come back to run the farm." Ann smiled, thinking of Frederick's grandson. For some reason, I felt sad and quite... unwanted.

...Was I supposed to feel that way? I was nothing to her... no... I was nothing to anyone at the beginning.

"That sign is bothering you, isn't it?"

Carter spoke up after the long silence. It was the one hundredth time (if I didn't lose count) he almost gave me a heart attack...

I didn't answer. I didn't know what to say, but seemed like Carter could read me.

"Don't worry about the future. If it's your sister, it means your great joy. If it's not, you have to go on anyway."

What Carter said was right, but it was easily said, not done.

I sighed. Perhaps I shouldn't expect Christine to come back to me... to forgive me for my guilt...


	3. Chapter 3 : The Newcomer

**Chapter 3 now! New OC appears. Does he have anything to do with 'Frederick's grandson' or Cliff's 'something long-lost?'**

**Disclaimer : Harvest Moon doesn't belong to me.**

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**Dustin's POV**

"Welcome to Mineral Town, folk! Have a nice stay here!"

Zack said heartily as our boat reached the shore. Finally I made it to Mineral Town.

Zack was too busy to show me around the town, so I was on my own. I walked around the beach, sightseeing and breathing the evening salty air. It was so peaceful and clean.

I went to Rose Square, where Zack told me that festivals took place. Middle-aged women were picnicking and gossiping. They gave me a quick glance, then continued their gossip...

"I've heard the old farmer's grandson is coming to town. Is it the guy over there? He has fine, brown hair like the old man when he was younger… Perhaps he's not… " The raven-haired lady in black dress spoke loudly enough for me to hear… I wondered if it was bored women's nature to gossip about everyone they saw. Anyway, I decided not to care much about them.

I looked at the bulletin board… The Music Festival had passed few days ago. Harvest Festival was coming soon. I wondered what it was like.

I had a brief trip around the town. It was peaceful, yet festive, just as Zack told me. The farms were quiet… especially the one in the southwest, which was in a terrible condition as if it was abandoned, yet not totally deserted. I wanted to have a good look there, but it was too dark to hang around that not-so-well-lit place. My flashlight ran out of battery days ago.

My tummy started complaining… It was time to find something to eat and somewhere to stay... How long? I had no idea, perhaps a season or two.

I came to the inn. There were many people eating here already, so there was no vacant seat for me. I thought I should ask for a room before finding a seat.

"Good evening, sir."

A ginger-haired man stopped garnishing his dishes as I greeted him. He called a waitress to continue his work... seemed like he was the owner or the manager here.

"Can I have a room for a season or two, please?"

"It would be 10000g a season, with free breakfast and a 50% discount for dinner every day. Is it okay with you?"

His offer seemed not too bad, and I had no other place to stay, so I accepted.

"Welcome to our inn. I'm Doug, the owner here." The ginger-haired introduce himself.

"I'm Dustin, Dustin Hamilton."

"Make yourself at home, Dustin. Ann, bring him to his room!" Doug ordered his waitress, the busy tomboyish girl.

"Hi, Dustin. I'm Ann. Nice to meet you!" The girl brought me to a room on the right. She informed me about everything I needed to know. Her blue eyes kept looking at me all the time, but I didn't know if I should ask her what she thought.

"Your bed is in the middle. The one reading on your left is Gray. He's new here too. The one on your right is Cliff. He'll be here soon." Ann informed me about my roommates before she went back to work.

The guy called Cliff? The name wasn't that uncommon. I'd met many people named Cliff in my journey, yet this guy's name seemed to be in my head for some reason. Well, not that Cliff for sure.

I took a shower and went to bed. There were many questions I wanted to ask Ann, but I was too tired now. Let's call it a day.


	4. Chapter 4: Back to the Inn

**Finally back after months of writer's block…**

**Chapter 4, Cliff came back and acknowledged Dustin's existence now.**

**Disclaimer : Harvest Moon doesn't belong to me.**

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**Cliff's POV**

Finally I managed to finish fixing the church roof before the inn closed. Ann was cleaning the diner and Doug was busy working on accounting stuff, so I decided to go straight to my room, but…

"Cliff! What bring you here so late!?" Ann just noticed me. She almost ran to me, concerned but somewhat… excited?

"Umm… I fixed church roof today…" I replied.

"You must be very hungry! Sit here a sec and I'll fix you dinner!"

She forgot all about cleaning and ran to the kitchen. She looked somewhat excited today. I wondered if there was someone new around here…

I sat in the diner, waiting for the late dinner. Doug just finished his paper stuff and walked right to me.

"Cliff, we have a new guest. His bed is on your left-hand side, between you and Gray." Doug informed me about the new guest. I didn't think it would concern me much. I was not good at making a new friend anyway.

"By the way, do you know someone by the name… Dustin Hamilton?"

Dustin Hamilton? That was my last name... Was he my distant relative or my deceased father? The name didn't give me any clue, but it sounded… somewhat familiar to me.

…Perhaps a mere coincidence. Hamilton was not an uncommon last name anyway…

I simply shook my head. Ann just finished cooking my meal, so I wasted no more time.

"Do you think he is the one Carter talked about?" Ann asked curiously. Good question…

"I don't really know him." That was all I could answer.

"Perhaps I will know that when I really meet him in person."

I went straight to my room, had a nice bath and got ready for bed. I heard two people sleeping soundly and snoring… perhaps Gray and that man Ann and Doug mentioned.

I wanted to observe who that guy was, but I didn't dare to turn the light on because I want no fight with Gray... I remembered the last time he yelled at me and became grumpy all day long the next day.

_"Something long-lost is coming to Mineral Town, and into your life soon..." _

That sign rang in my head again. I close my eyes, trying to recall who Dustin Hamilton was supposed to be... If he had had anything to do with me from the beginning…

"_I wanna see what dad is like." I said when I looked at my father's picture._

_An older boy talked to me, stroking my hair. His hazel eyes were gentle, yet sad and lonely…_

_"Your father is a great and kind man. I'm so sorry for you that you didn't have the chance to remember him well. He died last year..." _

The voice telling me that my father was dead rang in my head again… clearly enough to make me wide awake at night for some reason…

I looked at the occupied bed next to me but I saw nothing… It was too dark.

I guessed remembered Dustin Hamilton now…

…That guy… who told me about my father's death…


End file.
